Airline Caterer Flunks Federal Inspection

Federal regulators have downgraded a Denver facility that prepares airline food after inspectors found live and dead roaches and listeria bacteria in the kitchen.

If the company flunks a follow-up inspection, it could be barred from selling food to the airlines.

The company, LSG Sky Chefs, provides food to Delta, American, United and other airlines. A spokeswoman said Monday that the company fired the head chef and mounted an aggressive clean-up and believes it will pass a follow-up inspection.

According to a Food and Drug Administration letter to the company obtained by The Associated Press, inspectors found live and dead roaches "too numerous to count" in several areas of the kitchen, including at least 40 live insects in the silverware station.